Improved machine foe guttina egcenteic-tafs



To ALL WHOMIT MAY coNcnRN:

@einen tattn atwt @fge BEN JAMIN EBEE, OF HARWIGH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO 'IhlE-NEW` YORK TAP AND DIE'GOMPANY, OF NEW YORK CITY.`

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BEE, of Harwich, in the -county of Barnstable;andV Stato of"Massachu vsetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Cutting Taps and Dies; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, 'reference beingl `had to` the .accompanying drawings, in which- Figure' 2 represents a front elevation of the same. v,Figure 3 a rear elevation of the same. d

Figure 4 an end view ,of the same. i Figure 5 an endfview of the same, looking in a direction oppositeto thatinwbicb iig. 4 was taken. Figure represents parts of the machine detached from the remainder. t Figure 7 represents a transverse section o l a tap-blank of full size; suitable for beijng out in the machine. Figure V8 represents a section of the same tap-blank after being cnt.`

Figure 9 represents a corresponding section of the inisbed tap, after it has been cut and ilutedl4 The object of the improvements which constitute the subject-matter of the present patent` is to enable taps ami dies with eccsntric-"ireadssnch as aro"'represent ed nponne capot iig'. S" of the ldctniipnyin'g olojtitgstly to be cut with rapidity, economy, and perfection.' In such taps and dies, the portion of the `thread extending backwards from each cutting-edge, a, towards the next succeeding cutting-edge, is eccentric to the axialline of the tap or dic, and the mechanism which I am about to describe cuts such eccentric-threadsby m'eans of a'irotat ing cutter, which, while revolving, is caused to approach and recede from the axial 'hline of the blank as Ymany times as there are cutting-edges to be made,'while the blank is turned upon its axis and fed longitudinally past i the position. of tbe rotating cutter. The blank so ecccntrically cutis subsequently fluted longitudinally, by a milling or planing-tnachine, so as to producecutting-edges at the most'protuberaut parts of the threads.

In constructing such` mechanism, I have made `new combinations of sundry old` mcm'bersofn hines for cutting metals, and have changed their form or construction, so as to adapt them to tbe particular o ject to be attained, My invention, therefore, consists of lvarious new combinations ofjinstrumentalities,` `the first of consists of the combination of a rotating mand'rch'to hold and turn `the blanka vibratingrotating.cutter, to

cut the groove between the threads, a cutter-arbor, inclined to the axis of therotating mandrehifor'the pur'-` pose of enabling the cutter to cut'an inclined thread,) a feed-screw, or equivalent mechanism, to determine the L pitch of thc thread cut, and a regulating-cam, forvarying the position of the rotating cutter during. the revo# lution of the mandrel, so as to impart tbe required eccentricity to the thread. l r

- The special object ofthe second part of the invention is to guide the portion of tbe cutter that is operating v upon thcblank, so that it n'iay run truly, notwithstanding the warped condition of the cutter, prodlrcedlby tem*- 4peringor other causes. This improvement consists ofthe Combination of the rotating mandrel for the blank,

with a rotating' cutter, mountedy upon an arbor that is free to play endwise in its `boxes, witha guide .for the side of thc cutter to run against, and with a spring (or its equivalent, operatingvwith a yielding pressure,)'to keep the cutter constantly in contact srith the guide, so that the guide determines the position of `the acting portion of tlie cutter in its immediate vicinity.

The special object of the third part of my invention is to cause the cutter to vibrate in accordance with y the 4form of thc regulating-cam, and also .to prevent it from running into the metal too deeply. This improvei ment consists of the combination 4of the' rotating mandrel and rotating cutter, lwith a cutter-arbor inclined to the axial line of the mandrel, a regulating-cam, to determine the eccentricity of tbe cut made, and a Weight` or its equivalent, operating antagonistically to the cam, to4 exercise a yielding pressure, which causes4 the cutter;-

arbor to vibratefin accordance with the vform of'tlle regulatinglcam, and ,at the same time prevents'the cutter from running into the work.

what;

The special object of the fourth port of the invention is to lenable tnerotntingeutter to be readily set tu its proper position, or at the required distance from the axial line ot' the mandrel and blank, so that taps el different sizes may be cut, and cutters of different diameters may housed, without changing the regulating-cuni. This improvement consists of the combination of the rotating cutter end the regulating-edm, (that regulates its position) by means of'conneming-mechanism, whose length is adjustable'by means oi' arscrew '01 its equivalent,

for that purpose, so that the position of the yrotting cutter relatively4 to the regulating-cani may he varied A:ist

required. Y

The special object of the iii'th part o'f the invention-is to cause the rotating cutter to cut progressively nearer to the axial line of the blank, as the blank is moved longitudinally'past it, so as to cut the threads of' tapering taps or dies. This in'iprovenientv consists of the combination .of the regulating-cam und the vibratingtool support, with-a variable connecting or combining-mechanism interposed between the two, and a directinginstrument for varying the eii'ective length of said connecting-mechanism, as required, to caus the same pretu- 'bcrwnce ofthe kregulating-eamftomove,the-cutter .to,clift'erentextents;,v lhencepns theeutting proceeds, the cutter is not moved as near to the axial line-of the mandrel andblank during one'revolutioii of thevregnlnting-ciiih, as during the preceding revolution, so that the thread cut is tapering,'althiough the protuberances" oi"v thefca'm do notvary.. s

The machine represented in the-accompanying drawing .embodics'all myimproveuients ini the liest form which I have thus `far devised, and is arranged for cutting taps. hasafbed or shears', A, supported onlegs, and ofthe same general'construction'ns thc shears of engine-lathes, its top being provided with guides orways,A b b', upon which the carriage C, which supports the tapblani ,'is arranged to slide longitudinally. The boil also,

is provided at one end with a fixed head, al, that supportsth cog-wheels that-trainsrnit metionto the moving `'mrmibersot the machine. l .The carriage has at one end a mandrel, B, that is constructed to turn yin suitable boxes,ff, that project above thebed of the carriage; and this mandrel is provided at its inner end'ivit'ho.

clamp-chuck, g, bywhich thehead of thevtap-blank D is secured to the mandrel,.so as to -be turned by it. The t end ofthe carriage opposite the mandrel is fitted with la movablehead, h, that supports thedend-centrc c, upon which the small end of the tapbla'nk turns'during cutting. The base of this movable head is provided withn longitudinal projection orfeathcnwhich slides in a groove formed inthe bed of thc carriage, so that vthe head r is maintained in a ycentral position on the carriage,valthough it may be moved towards and froml the mandrel. The head his clamped to the carriage by means of n serewbolt. The bottom of the sliding head is inclined,

and a wedge of the same 'inclination is inserted beneath the base, upon the upper 4surface oi the bedrof the carriage,4 softhat the head may be adjusted by insertingfthe wedge more or less, to raise or lower the dead-centre, as may be required in setting the tap-blank in the machine. The tap-carriage C is moved to andfro by'mcnns of u feedsserew, E, which is arranged to-turn in bearings at one side of the bed of the machine, and'phich 'is eonn'eetedwith the tap-carriage by means ot' a sectional nut, F, that is secured to the carriage, so that the enr7 riage is'serewed along by the turning of the feed-screw. One end of the shaft of the feed-screwE projects beyond its bearing at the end of the machine, and is tted with c cog-wheel, G, by lwhich the 'feed-screw isf." Vturned for the purpose of moving the tap-carriage. 'In 'order that the tap-blank may be turned upon itsaxis` V lduring cutting, the mandrel B is fitted with a cog-whee l, H, who-sc teeth lengzige with those of a .pinion, H

that is sechred to a sleeve, 72,-whieh' turnslin bearings ff uponthe' tap-carriage,

The bore of the pinion-sleeve n" is traversed by a square shaft, J, which extends to one end ofthe bed of the machine, where it'passes through u. bearing. The end 'of lthe shaft J projects through this bearing, and is itted with a cog-wheel, Gl, by turning which they shaft J,the sleeve n, the pinion H, and the mandrel B, with .the tap-blank, are all turned. The pinion-sleeve o is arranged to slide longitudinally in its bearings, so that the pinion may be disengaged from the cog-wiieel H, to permit the mandrel to be turned b'y hand during the operation of securing the tap=blank and removing it.f v f I When the pinion is engaged with the wheel, it is hield 'in' place by a latch, I', which inter-venes between e.

. shoulder upon the pinion-sleeve and the side of the rdjacentbearing j,iand prevents the longitudine! movement ofthe'sleeve. l i .i A y t I The rotary cutter I, by whichv the screw-thread of. the tap is out, consists of a disk of steel, whose periphery is turned to the'formof'the groove' between the thrctds' .to bencut, and is then eut into teeth like those otytherotary cutters of millingmaehines for cutting metals, afterlwhch litis hardened and tempered.' It is mounted upon an arbor, K, rwhich is supported by the bearings,pp,y of a tool-support, L, which is arranged to vibrate upon two centres, s` s, so that the` rotary cutter may move towards or from the airisrofj the mandreland blank, for the purpose of cutting the thread' eccentric. I 5

l In order that the cutting-edge ofthe eutter'mtybemaintaiuedin its.v proper position;hotwithstandingv irregularities in the cutter, the arbor AK is constructed to slide longitudinally in its bearings. A spring` M, is

vprovided to aet'upon the end` that is furthest from the cutter,and a lixed guide, N, is applied to the outer face of the disk 'of the cutter, as closely as possible to the cutting-edge; hence, the pressure of the .springicauses'the face of thevrotary cutter to run constantly in contact with' the guide, and permits the arbor to move so as to adapt itself to the irregularities which are generally found in such tools, while the part of the' cutting-edge which is acting, being directed by the guide, runs truly, or thereabouts. A

I i In order to out the screw-thread on the tap-blank with the inclination corresponding with the piteh'of the thread, the cutter-arbor K is inclined to the axial line of the mandrel and. tapblank, and in order that the same machine may be used for vcutting taps of diierent pitches and diameters, the block- O, to which the techsupport is pivoted by the centres ss, is secured to a bracket projecting from the bed of the machine, by means ofscrews yt t, which pass through inclined slots in the centre-block O ,s that centre-block-may be adjusted upon the bed` l ot' thc machine, to holdthe techsupport in different positions, as required to vary the inclination of the cutterarhor to the axial line of the tap-blank',

The euttoivarbor is fitted ivith'a'belt-pulley, Q, to' which the drivingjbelt` is applied, and motion Sitcom- A rnunieated from this arbor to the feed-screw E, and tothe shaft J that turns thc mandrel B, by meting of two pulleys, R R', a belt, S, and a train of`c.og-ivhecls, G, G, G2, G3, G, G, G, Gif One of the pulleys, R, whichthe belt S cncirclcs, is`secured to the cutter-arbor K; tiioother pulley, R", which the belt encirclespisisccnrcd to a sleeve, which turns freely upon a stud projecting frein an arm, T, which swings upon the outer end rif. stud, q, that is lixed to and projects from the head d of thc bod of the machine. The'pulley-sleeve is iutted with; the cogwlieel G2, whose' teeth engage with those of a cog-wheel, G?, whiclris secured to asleeve that turns'upon v the same fixed study] that the arm T swings u`pon; hence the two cog-wheels G2Gs arealw'ays properly engaged,

which the first pulley, It, is applied. 'r

In order that the belt S may be properly strained, toprcvent it from slipping vim the pulley -'-tliehswi'nging` arm T has a weight, U, applied to its end. 4 l

The vsleeve of thc cog-wheel Gr3 carries a second ccg-wheel, G, which' gears into the cog-wleel G' that is secured to the shaft J, that transmits motion to-the mandrel B. ,This shaftV also isjitfed with a second cog-wheel, G, which imparts motion to the fcedscrew E through the intervention of the cog-wheel G xcdjto it, end an intermediate cog-wheel, G, that turns upon'a stud sc'curcd to the frame of the machine. l i" lnvorder that the cutter maybe' raised and lowered, to cut eccentric-threads ofthe requiedf'form upon the'. `tap-blank, a cani, V, is provided, having as inany projections as there are to be cutting-edges upon'tlieperi-ph'ery of the finished tap. This regulating-cam is mounted upon a shaft, W, that turns'in bearings upon the frame of the mach'ncpand is fitted at one end with a cog-wheel, G1, that gears into the cogwheel G, that is secured to the shaft J, which transmits motion-to the mandrel B, so that the cani is turned with the mandrel.. The rela v tire proportions of thc,t,wo cog-wiicels, G" G7,intervening between the shaft J and the regulating-cam V, `a ie the same as these et' the two cog-wheels IUI-I, that intervene `between thesame shaft J and the mandrel B, s

that the tap-biank (which is held by the iiiandrel)and the rcgulnting-caniturn with thesamfe speed.

' 1 o i s u l s l v Thereguiatingcaui is caused' to regulate the position of thc rotating cutter in the following manncrzA stiong frarnefconssting'of the standard, X, and the two arched bars, r4', is erectcdhupon the friime of the machine, anda lever, Y, is'pivoted to this frame hy'a pivot, u, inthe vicinity of-the standard `The oute'i'-4 'en-d of this lever is connected by-an adjustable connecting-rod, -Z, with a second lever, Y', whose inner end is fmncfl EPP .e heeft' ailletrrslegeieet druide?. Side .0f F119.' rescuers-.Cem Y@ .thatthis.heer-incierta?, and the first or upper lever, Y, are caused to vibrate as the regulating-cam revolves.- The upper lever `is con-` nected with the vibratingftool .support L by 4a stud, z, upon the upper end of which the said upperlever bears, V.so that whenever a projection ofthe regulating-cath V dprcs'ses thebearing-lever, Y', and the upper lever, 'Y,

the rotating'-e1itter is forced nearer to the axialline o f the mandreland the tap-blank, and whenever the forni of the regulating-cam permits the bcaringdcver Y and the upper lever to rise, the rotating cutteris permitted to rise or move further 'from the axial lino`of the mandrel andtap-blank. In order that the rotating cutter may be moved from the axialline of the mandrel and tap-blank with certanty,"so as to cut a', thread corresponding with thei eccentricty of the projections ofV the regulating-cam, the t tool-support is provided with a weighteddeve'r, A', which 'bears lupon a stud, z', tlia tl is placed between the weight U' and the pivot u', that secures the lever to the tool-support, and whose lower end is sustained by the l bed of the machine, so that the ivei ht U', acting upon the tool-support antagonistic-ally'to the regulating-cam, tends to move thctooll-support and the rotating cutter awajr from the axial line of the mandrelaud tap-blank,

and causes the bearinglever to bear constantly against the regulating-camV, and to applyitself to'the'surfaces of its projections. The rotating cutter is thus acted upon by two forces, the one applied by the weight, andbeing a yielding, pressure, that tends to move the cutter from the axial line of the mandrel and tap-blank, a'nd the other being` the positive force applied by the regulatingcani V, that, preponderating over the s aid yielding pressure, forces i the cutter towards the zixialline of the niandreliandtap-blank; and as the bearing-lever, Y', is constantly borne' against the regulating-cam, the form of the cut produced by the rotating cutter is regulated by the form of thc f cam projeotions.

The weight U is made sullioient to overcome thetendency ofthe rotating cutter to run in toV the work, arid.,` thus out more deeply than it should; lie-nce the weight Ugcontrols-the cutter, and the lever A' on which it acts may be culled thc controlling lever.

In order that the sani'e' cani may he used toregulatc the cutting of the.'thi-eads' oi` taps of'diii'ercntdianieters, l und may also be used to cut tap" oi' the saine size with cutters of different diameters, the mechanism that conibines the rot-ating cutter with the regulating-caro is made'adjustablein the following inannerzlTlie coiiiieetingrod Z between the hearing-lever Y' 'and the upper lever Y, being fitted-with a screw, d', passes4 through a nut formed inthe upper 'cud of the connecting-rod, and bears upon the upper lever Y. turning this' screw `i 'f the eiective length of the connecting-rod, o r the distance between the upper lever,-Y and bearinglever Y', can

be adjusted as required to s ct theicutting-edge of the cutter at the proper distance from the axial line ,of the mandrel and tapblank,. and thus regulate the depth of cut, The fulcrum-stud z' of' theeontijolling lever A' is also made adjustable by applying itslower end to a screw, dz, which turns inal base, gan-hose vlower end is grooved to rest upon the tap carriage C., The screw-head is-providcd with'a capstan bar, e,'hy turning-which "i the fulcruin-stud is raised or depressed, iis/required` It'V the vmachine thus describcdbe set to work u'pon the pitch of the thread will' bcjdetermncd by the fsei-screw E, the f orni'of tliethrcad by'the prolcof the' fr tap-insane neef-win i@ time by ammirare B, 1

periphery of the rotating cutter V, and t he inclinntion ot` the cutterarborK, and the'nnnibcr of the cuttingedges and the eccentricity of the threads by the number and formof the projections of the regulating-cam V. If the machine be thus used without any change inv the adjustment of thev parts, the tap-blank cut will be of the same section throughout its length, or will be suitable for a plug-tap without taper. i

' In order to adapt the machine to cutting blanks for tapc r-taps, the mechanism for regulating the position of the rotating cutter is inode self-adjusting, so as to cause the rotating cutter to recede from theaxial line of the mandrel and tap-blank, as the blank is moved/point foremost' anddongitudinally past the ciittcr. To this end'tho mechanism that combinesthe rotating cutter with the regulating-cam is made variable by pivoting the bearing-lever' Yi/to an elbow-lever, Y2, whieh is constructed to swing upon a stud, g2, secured to the bed of the machine, so as torai'sc and lower the fulcrum ofthe bearing-lever Y1, the pivot that connectsit with adjust. able connectingsrod Z, and the upper lever Y. The upper end of the elbowlever' is provided with a cord, h2,

' whose end is wound upon the extremity of thev shaft'W of the regulating-cam V.y Hcncefasthe com, isf-turned,

the cord-ft2 is unwound from its shaft, and the elbow-lever Yz is moved to relax the pressure upon the bearing' V f leve:- Y1, thereby' permitting the rotating cutter to recede more and more, as the cutting proceeds, from ,the 7A l axial line of'th'e mandrel and tapblanl ,-and to impart the required taper to the tap-blank. The form of the taper thus imparted may be varied, by 'varying the -diameter and form of the extremity of'the `.camshaft W, which directs lthe amount of variation, by determining'tho ,movement of the .elbow-lever YZ through the cord, i and is therefore the directing-'instrument in the'machine, and the taper maybe caused to increase progressively, soas toimpart a curved prcfiie to the tap, by making the end of the cam-sha t't, on which the cord is wound, of Progressif/ely glcaterdiametc-r, thus giving it a conical or conoidal form'. I A As the-same machine may be used for cutting yplug-taps, or taps I partly cylindrical and partly tapering, a

stop, i2, is provided to hold the elbowlever Y2, and consequently the fulcrum-piu of the bearingdever Y1, in a fr fixed position, when the directing-instrument is not varying it.v v When the machine is used for cutting taps, the cutting proceeds from the point to the head of the trip. i'

` `ihonthe tapis thus cut itis taken from the machine-andpnt into a'rnilling-machine, by which it is iluted longi tndinally so as to produce the'cutting edges at the most protuberant parts of the 4tap-blank.

The combinations of mechanism existing in the machine thus described may be' applied to the cutting ,of the dies for. cutting the threads of screws. In such case the mandrel is provided with a chuck of suitable form andsizc to holdhthe dicblank to be cut, and the die-blank,previonsly bored to the bppoximate size of the interior ofthe thread, is applied to the chuck. The rotating cutter used mustbe suilicicntly small to enter into habere oi the die, and vibrate therein, so as to cut the thread and if aguidebc used, it ehouldbe placed` on the inner cido of the cutter, that is, on theside towardsvthe driving-pulley Q, the spring being forked "and arrangcdto haar against a collar on' the arbor, so ns to dra'w said arbor towards the spring, instead of pushing`l it, and thereby keep the inner face `of the cutter running against the guide. I For'thepnrposc of getting rfid et' the eut-tin'gs,jthe parts' ofthe machine may beso arranged 'that the rotating cutter is borne upwards bythe' f action of the regulating-'cam against the upper side of the interior of the dief and for the same reason the machine for cutting taps may'bearranged to bear the rotating cutter upward against the under side ofthe tapblank,. instead of downwardsnpon its upper side. 4 l

The cutter described and represented in the-drawings is adapted to cutting taps with V-thrcads; but threads ot' other forms ina'y be cut in the same machine, Iby varying the profile o t' tho cutter. The pitch of the thread may be varied'by'changing the feed-screw, fir by varying the proportions-ofthe wheels that impart motion to it in the manner usual in screw-'cutting lathes, and the inclination of thearbor of the cutter tortheaxial line of the mandrel should always be such as to make'thc inclination of the plane 'of the ,cutter substantially the same as that of the thread of the screw.' I 4 v y When tap and die-blanks which are partly cylindrical and partly tapering are to be cut,"the axial line off' 1the twofcentres s s of thel vibratig-tool support should be parallel tothe azialline ot' the mandrel B. In such. i cases the distance between the cutter-arbor and the axial line of the centres must be less at oneiendthan at the other, in'order that thecutter-arbor may be properly inclined to the axial line ot' the mandrel and blank. As machinesmay bcbui-lt in this manner for cutting blanks having threads of diiercnt inclinations, the variationin thc inclination ofthe cutter-arbor maybe obtained by iittingone or both ofthe centres-8 sto movable centre blocks, that are secured by screw-bolts to the techsupport, so that the pareil-elise! of the axial line of the centres. and mandrel may' remain unchanged, while the distance between the cutter-arbor andthe one or both centres may be varied, by moving one or both cent-re'blocks, to vary'the inclination 'ofthe cutter-arbor to the mandrel. F In the machine thus described' a regulating-cam, havingas meny protuberapces as there are to benuttingi edges in the tap is employed, but'a regulatingngam, having a different nii'mb'eroi" protub'anccs', maybe used if-the speed of tbc cam-shaft-W be correspondingly varied. ".lhus, forexamplg'if-therc are to be'i'our cutting- Vedges on the tap, a regulatingfcam, with a single snail-formed protuberunce .may be used, ii` t h c wheels forl i 1i imparting motion toits shaft be s o proportioned as to cause the cam to turn four times for each revolution. oi` the mandrel that carricsthc blank. I have also described the blank as being moved longitudinally past the rotating cutter, that being the arrangement which I prefer; but the mandrel-bearings may be iixed to the bed. 'of tlieinachine, and the cutter audits arbor inay be mounted o n-a carriage and moved `along thcbed it`- deemed cx icdient.

1 Having thus de scribed a machine embodying all my improvements, Idcc'larc that I do not claim lthe inven tion of any member thereof separately; but i l What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure bybetters Patent, is y i. 'lhc combination in one machine oi' the following instrumentalities, viz, the rotating mandrel to supportn the blank, vibrating rotating cutter, inclined cutter-arbor, feed-screw, vand regulating-ca-m,l formed and constructed to adapt them to thepurpose to be accomplished,uaud all combined and operating in the m'achine'sub-i stantially as Vbefore set forth.

2. I 4also claim the combination in a machine `of the following'instrumentnlities, viz, the rotating inendrel,`

4rotating cutter, mounted n a free' arbor, cutter-guide, and spring, formed and constructed to adept them to the purposeto be accomplished, and all combined and operating in the machine substantially as before set forth` .f .1 ntligisoclaimfthecombination ina Imachinebf the following instrumentalties, viz, the rotatlngmendreh' `rotating utter, inclined'cutter-arbor, regulating-cam, and weight, formed and constructed to adapt them to the purl-pese to be accomplished, undl all combined and operating in the machine substantially ns .before set forth.

4. I also claim the combination in a. machine ofthe following instrmentalitiem'viz, the rotating cutter,` ,regulating-cam, and adjustable connecting-mechanism,formeel and constructed to adapt them `te the purpose to be accomplished, and all combined and operating in the machine substantially as before setforth. 4

5. I also 'claim the combination in a machine of the following instrumentalities, viz, the regulating-oom, V

vibrating-tool support, variable connecting-mechanism, and a directing-instrument, formed and constructed to adapt them to the puvpose to be accomplished, and all combined and operating in the, machine substantially 'as v before set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this twentyv eighth da] of` November, A. D'. 1866; i `BfliHTJAMIN F.l BEE.

Witnesses:

E. S. RENwrox,

A. SnEDIQocx. 

